An inmate at the St. Joseph County Jail was found dead, from an apparent hanging, inside his cell in what is believed to be a suicide.

A county corrections officer on his rounds found the inmate, Dion Arnez Alexander, 46, just after 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 5.

Medical staff attempted lifesaving efforts that were unsuccessful.

No one else was in the cell at the time of the hanging.

As a matter of protocol the death is being investigated by the St. Joseph County Metro Homicide. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6. in Fort Wayne.

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office sent the following information:

At approximately 6:10 a.m. this morning a St. Joseph County jail corrections officer on rounds discovered an inmate hung inside his locked jail cell. The corrections officer immediately cut the inmate down, called for assistance, and removed the inmate from his cell to receive medical attention. Additional jail officers and jail nursing staff responded to the inmate’s cell to provide CPR and apply an automated external defibrillator (AED). South Bend Fire EMT’s also made the scene. The lifesaving efforts of our jail officers and the medical technicians were unsuccessful, and the inmate passed away. The inmate was the sole occupant of the cell at the time of the incident.  

As required by departmental policy for all in custody jail death, St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit was activated and has begun its investigation of the death. The inmate was being held in the St. Joseph County jail as a Federal detainee of the U.S. Marshals and was awaiting sentencing in Federal Court.

Further information regarding the investigation into the inmate’s death will come from the St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. Inquiries regarding the federal detainee can be directed to the U.S. Marshal’s Service.